We are developing the social individualist meta-context for the future. From the very serious to the extremely frivolous... lets see what is on the mind of the Samizdata people.
Samizdata, derived from Samizdat /n. - a system of clandestine publication of banned literature in the USSR [Russ.,= self-publishing house]
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Look on and despair! I have pretty much ignored the Weiner Dong flap as I am not much fussed about how the man gets laid. Whether he is true to his wife, a kinky netizen or as much a womanizer as some of my musician friends of old does not much matter to me. His political stands would be equally obnoxious to me whether he be Saint Weiner or an alley cat guitarist. However, I could not pass up this brilliant little bit of poetic license from the always humorous Iowahawk which Taylor Dinerman pointed out to me.
`My name is Weinermandius, Dong of Dongs:
Look on my junk, ye mighty, and despair!’
As oft saith Glenn Reynolds, “Read the whole thing.”
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Who Are We? The Samizdata people are a bunch of sinister and heavily armed globalist illuminati who seek to infect the entire world with the values of personal liberty and several property. Amongst our many crimes is a sense of humour and the intermittent use of British spelling.
We are also a varied group made up of social individualists, classical liberals, whigs, libertarians, extropians, futurists, ‘Porcupines’, Karl Popper fetishists, recovering neo-conservatives, crazed Ayn Rand worshipers, over-caffeinated Virginia Postrel devotees, witty Frédéric Bastiat wannabes, cypherpunks, minarchists, kritarchists and wild-eyed anarcho-capitalists from Britain, North America, Australia and Europe.
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Weiner’s textcapade is so juvenile he belongs in a Porky’s sequel.
Or perhaps the next “American Pie” movie. I guess he’d better stick to Band Camp… (for those who get the reference…)
Indeed I despair. Has I only sent half-naked pictures of myself to strange women maybe I could be a success at love and career as well.
Don’t you love Iowahawk? He’s about the most clever internet satirist out there.
I don’t Laird, I find him rather lame. He’s definitely one of the good guys though, and more power to him, as long as enough people enjoy his writing.
As to the junk in question, the only thing that really bothers me about this story is the fact that he (the junk) attempted to smear,or even outright libel, the person who reported it (who himself, contrary to what some might think, doesn’t come out of this all pristine either). All the rest is none of anyone’s business, save the junk’s wife and his idiotic correspondents.
Lame? Iowahawk? Have you read his Canterbury Tales spoof where he brilliantly skewered Rowan Williams? The man is a comic genius.
Iowahawk, not Rowan Williams, who is a joke of another kind.
OK, James, that one’s pretty good – but then Rowan practically spoofs himself, doesn’t he:-)
Scott Adams had an interesting take on this business.
http://dilbert.com/blog/entry/weiner_context/
Iowahawk doesn’t hit a home run every time (who does?), but what amazes and delights me about his blog is that he writes it in so many completely different styles, and he generally nails them all. He’s the most flexible writer I know; he’s a literary chameleon. And usually hilarious to boot!
I agree about his writing styles, Laird, the man does have talent, no doubt about that. I guess the main problem I have with him is that his pieces are way, way, waaaaaay tooooo bloooody looooong. I begin reading, and it’s all very clever and very amusing, but then the man just doesn’t know when to stop. Even with that Rowan piece which I really liked, I had to stop, because I got the idea and had a good laugh, but then just felt the need to move on, before it stopped being funny. If he stopped there or thereabouts, it could have been perfect. But it’s obviously just me, to each his own, etc. – please, don’t mind me. I just couldn’t resist replying to Laird’s rhetorical, that’s all.
So, what about that wiener fellow, huh?
I now went and read the actual piece Dale linked to in his post (duh), and it is very good, short and to the point. But I’m afraid it’s not typical.
De gustibus non est disputandum.
As to Weinermandius, one wag I saw referred to the whole kerfluffle as a “weiner roast”. Clever tag.
Never have I felt a stronger urge to become a vegetarian.
It could be worse. Just imagine what’s going to happen when 3D printers become mainstream…
Mr Zalotocky – do you really think we will see thruppenny printers ?
Yes but not as good as the New York Post’s headline about his decition not to resign. “Weiner: I’ll Stick it Out.”
Well seeing as most of modern politics is a dick-swinging contest anyway…
Yes, the New York Post is having a field day with the double entendres. A recent one I saw was “Weiner pulls out”, in response to him taking a leave of absence to “get treatment”. (How predictably tedious. He doesn’t need treatment.) Anyway, I’m sure there’s plenty more where that came from.
Actually, the New York Post is quite an amusing tabloid, I have to say.
Probably my favourite Iowahawk piece of all time was the Hunter S. Thompson parody of Scooby Doo. I’m all for long-form satire (besides, I’m a quick reader.)
David: it’s not the length per se that I have a problem with, it’s that when the focus is on parody (or otherwise on the language itself, rather than on an actual story), these pieces tend to run out of steam pretty quickly.
Oh well, now I’m an official party pooper – someone please put me out of your misery.
One must admit that said sad Democrat has completely put the cart before the horse … the one about “The problem’s not the thing, itself, it’s the cover-up !” … he has managed to turn it into “The problem is the lack of the cover-up, not the thing itself !” …
Alisa @ 9:33 PM – are you talking about prose or something else that was turgid ?
I hope Weiner doesn’t have a Second Life avatar.
Alasdair: it’s just that when the comical element is the form, rather than the content, it gets tired pretty quickly.
Iowahawk is very good with words Alisa.
It is not my way – but there are two reasons for that.
One reason is that (like yourself) I tend to like “out in the open” arguement. “Here is my case – simple and plain….”
However, there is another reason……
I have not got the talent to do what Iowahawk does.
Yes, he does have talent, Paul – no question about that.